I've been writing about our current climate situation since the 1970's. I just didn't think we'd be at this crossroads so soon.

Back then, climatologists could not predict which way it might go, freeze or boil, just that the evidence was mounting that human activity had the potential to de-stabilize the global climate and impact the environment with unpredictable results. But most thought that the critical "tipping points" might not occur until the year 2050 or so.

It was, and remains, a difficult case to make. Years ago, it seemed too distant, too speculative. With all the ongoing factors that affect climate - solar activity, volcanic activity, normal variation, naturally-occurring CO2 and methane - many found it difficult to grasp the possibility that, for the first time in Earth's 4.5 billion-year history, human activity could have introduced a new factor, a climate "wild card".

In the latter part of the 20th Century, the lack of absolute scientific certainty as to what empirical evidence implied was seen as "flawed science" and it's preliminary conclusions unduly alarmist. And it was, correctly, pointed out that any one of the aforementioned factors could change the climate trajectory dramatically.

There have always been extreme weather events, so pointing to a rising incidence and severity was not particularly persuasive. What should have been wake-up calls, Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, both of which demonstrated just how fragile our coastal infrastructure truly is, are only now raising concerns among the skeptics.

In 2015, the international scientific consensus has become stronger and the empirical evidence more urgent. In the last year or so, we passed one of the critical "tipping points" of rising sea level, that it is no longer just melting sea ice (which does not raise sea level) but melting land ice (which does).

In spite of the melting ice, ocean temperatures continue to rise and sea level rise accelerates. And in spite of dodging a bullet from a direct hit by Hurricane Joaquin, South Carolina has just experienced what is described as a "thousand-year flood".

The drought here in California and consequent wildfires, the disruptions of food supply in the midwest due to flooding and a horrific tornado season, unseasonal temperature swings, have begun to accumulate in our collective consciousness. There is also an increasing awareness of how human activity has impacted our planetary environment.

But if our awareness, our ability to connect-the-dots, our distrust of scientific consensus interferes, perhaps it’s only empirical evidence that might finally get our full attention.

Scientific research indicates sea levels worldwide have been rising at a rate of 0.14 inches per year since the early 1990’s. Even at current rates, barring more recent indications of acceleration, we can expect the oceans to rise between 2.5 and 6.5 feet by 2100, enough to swamp many coastal cities and low-lying areas, leaving millions to a future of flooding, mass migrations, agricultural disruptions and almost inevitable conflicts over resources.

Each year, the Earth loses roughly 40 million acres of tropical rainforests, which now cover 6 percent of the planet’s surface, down from 14 percent. Humans have depleted 90 percent of all large fish in the world’s oceans. Each year, we lose as much as 50,000 species to extinction, a rate one thousand times greater than “normal background levels”. And more than half of all coral reefs, upon which 500 million people depend for survival, are dead, dying or endangered.

Climate change deniers often take the position that economic growth is only possible at the expense of the environment and that any action on climate or the environment would imperil growth, put the U.S. at an economic disadvantage and cost jobs. But history has proved repeatedly that it is a false premise and that the environment is the true engine of economic growth.

Many die-hard climate change skeptics have begun to reconsider, at the very least conceding that climate change is occurring even if they argue that little or nothing can be done about it. But on that last point, they may unfortunately be right.

By most evidence, we're way past the point of stopping climate change. It might have been a different story had we acted decades ago. But at this point, all we can do is try to mitigate its effects and adapt to an entirely new set of circumstances.

Interesting original post by Ray Cunneff, but this discussion board leads me to believe that Yabberz.com is a completely wasteful use of my time. People on the extreme that do not value meeting the other person for a dialogue. I'll stick with cups of coffee with real people talking in person. Bye for now, and best wishes. Ben

Pretty much all of the "arguments" are like this..... Abortion / try eliminating the cause and need..... Immigration / Make our country less attractive by punishing the employers........AHCA / work to change what you don't like ( like they did with social security and medicare )

But when you need division for your "plan" to work you need a all or nothing stance....

I have found away to turn all western countries green, within 3.6 years. America has cheap power prices, so it will work but not as good as other countries. The best country to do this is germany Australia UK/Britain and france and so on western country's.

Germany is the best candidate, followed by Australia.

It's based on AU but will work the same in all countries.

I have found away to turn Australia green and fast. It can be done with the same carbon tax or a temporary GST rise for 3.6 years. This time you get the cash and own the power company.

I have found a way for us to go green fast.

I have found a way to go green in 3.6 years. Australia, Germany, Spain, France, UK and so on, are the perfect candidates to do this.

Germany pays 40c to AU 29c. Germany will boom and save mass more money if they do it my way.

First is the carbon tax, second is the GST way. I say do it the GST way and even carbon tax way 2 at the same time.

First things first. The carbon tax was a good idea, but it was done the wrong way. They made a big biz $5 billion dollar tax pa and that money went on helping biz go green and to pay for the public's higher power cost. In return that was meant to see the power companies invest in green power because of the higher cost of fossil fuels.

In the end the biz and power company's only invested and spent $80 million pa on green tech. What's the point of making a $5 billion dollar tax, to put up $80 million dollars worth?

The way the carbon tax must work, is the government owning power plants. Big biz pays the same $5 billion dollar tax pa. The gov spends and puts up $5 billion dollars worth of green tec pa.

Small biz and the public are struggling to survive, and if big biz does that, the government could get all the green tec for free. They could sell the power to small biz for 80% less, creating a jobs boom in many ways. The public can also save 50% why the government makes 50% for free....That pays more taxes sees the public save money off 2 bills. I say 2 bills because people can buy electric stoves and hot water system, scrapping a bill from their budget. Gs is almost as $ a power.....Ether way more big savings.

I have worked it all out for the pop size for a GST or carbon tax. A GST works the same for any country. This idea i worked out would have taken 5 years with a GST and 12 years with a carbon tax before. Now with new solar panels making 34% more power, it will only take any western country 3.6 years to go green with a temporary GST rise, or 8.6 years with a carbon tax.

I worked out how many panels you need each. The biggest pop "older" use much less power than young and mid aged people. So it works out to $12k system for the young and $2.4k systems for the old. People don't need $1.5 - $3.5k power meter boxes at there house anymore, so we get a lot more panels for the same price now. Also add that the solar panels will be in the desert, not the city roof tops, with trees and the placement stopping them from capturing full power capabilities. I have worked out all the small thing, but will not say them all here. Yes wind turbines would go up first, to power the city's at night time.

With a carbon tax, you would make big biz pay for the panels, get them all for free and start selling power. All the profit made goes to buying more solar panels pa. The government get's it all for free, so they can sell it for 50% less to the public. The other 50% made, will added up to mass billion pa AU or country wide. The gov would add the extra profit to putting up more solar panels pa. After 6 years we would put up $10 billion worth pa.

Small biz can save 80% on power 2. Small biz is struggling to make jobs and survive. In AU i can undo the 10% profit tax. The saving biz will make, with save them big bucks. If the public saves 50%, then they spend more money at small biz. Small biz get's more biz and needs to hire more people. If biz picks up the the gov makes more taxes.

The government can use a carbon tax, to make mass jobs and boom the economy. It will also turn their country green and make the government billions pa. It's like making a tax that brings you in more money, but there is not tax because they got it all for free, they made full profit.

If a country doesn't have a GST tax. they will make a 3.6 years GST temporary tax for 3.6 years only.

Coal in this country should be dead. We can pay a 5% GST tax rise for 3.6 years & go 100% power grid green.

Most western countries can only do this, so coal sales will be good even if AU cut's it coal usage. The jobs made will make up for jobs lost.

This idea / strategy will undo the lib's 10% profit tax, on most small biz. Big biz can do the same, and will save big bucks after 3 years 2.

If we pay a 5% GST rise for 3.6 years, every state will be 100% power grid green within 3.6 years...Massive. Each state government will still make billion or billions pa from 40% profit of power sails easy.

It's easy. Pay a 5% GST for 3.6 years, then after 3.6 years you would have saved more money than what you paid in taxes to go green. After 5 years you get 40+ years of 50% cheaper power. The Gov owns green power plants and get's it all for free. Your power bill will be 50% cheaper and the Gov will make 50% "billions each state" for free...Every country can do this.

That makes this a temporary GST, as it makes the government billions pa like the GST would of. The difference is that after 3.6 years, the GST can be scraped, and the govt owns the power plants making = or more money then the 5% rise. The public and biz make massive savings 2. Boost the economy with much more money spent in small biz paying more taxes and GST and so on.

The GST works as a tax on 100% of the pop. It's a fair tax that works on the pop size. In 3.6 years every state or western country would be 100% power grid green. 9 worked it out and it would take 3.6 years.

You're talking about saving small biz and big biz 80% on power 2. So small biz cost will drop by 10% "goodbye lib's 10% profit tax" :). Big biz will possibly save 20%+ because the more power you use, the bigger savings you will make.

Or should i say........We can simply rise the GST by 5% for 3.6 years only. That will buy the state governments free green tec and will make them billions pa from selling the power for 50% less. In other country the fed government can make the billions extra. In AU they want to rise the GST tax permanently

because the cuts the liberal government made, have sent the states

budget's and projects into chaos.....Disaster and bust.

The state governments can let us pay the tax for 3.6 years, the them money we save on power cost will only take years to break even...Its a miracle way to go green and do so many things.

If we pay a temporary 5% GST tax, we will scrap it in 3.6 years and brake even within 2more years. We can scrap the tax because the 50% the gov makes off power, =s the 5% GST tax. The good thing is that it's a temporary tax that only takes year to get your money back. It also hands the government a = 5% GST income for life from the sale of power.

The state governments can also sell power to small and big biz for cheap. That will create so many jobs in so many different ways.

What i have done, is found away to make mass jobs, turn green and stop tax hikes. Make the gov billions pa, and much more.

You have to remember even big biz will be lol. They may pay a tax, but the money they save will be more. Not only that. After 6 years they will be lol making super profit.

I worked it all out. Amount per person, factors like they don't need the solar meters on the house that cost $2k - 4k each...More panels and green tec. Fact's like they will be in the desert not in cloudy city's, 2 the angels or the panels on the roof. Factors that the biggest pop is old and they use much less power and so on.....2 many things 2 say.

If the state governments get arise the GST5% rise, they can buy green tech with very last cent of it. It will only take 3.6 years with the new solar panels made.

"With all the ongoing factors that affect climate - solar activity, volcanic activity, normal variation, naturally-occurring CO2 and methane - many found it difficult to grasp the possibility that, for the first time in Earth's 4.5 billion-year history, human activity could have introduced a new factor, a climate "wild card".

All the other factors that affect global climate remain in play, any one of which can alter the climate trajectory. We've only had the ability to change the equation for about 200 years, less than the blink of an eye. Yet the impact of human activity has been measurable and profound.

To not recognize the negative influence we have had on the biosphere is the true "cognitive dissonance".

See 17 More Replies to Ray Cunneff ("Climate Change: Too Little, Too Late?
By Ray Cunneff
October 9, 2015
I've been writing about our current climate situation since the 1970's. I just didn't think we'd be at this crossroads so ....")

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